Kiss Me Not Receives Rave Reviews from Critics and Audiences

Kiss Me Not Receives Rave Reviews from Critics and Audiences

Following its release in cinemas in Cairo and several governorates, director Ahmed Amer's film Kiss Me Not, starring Yasmin Raeis, received rave reviews from local and international media outlets, in addition to great reviews from audiences and public figures on different social media platforms.

Director Yousry Nasrallah took to his Facebook page to write, "Kiss Me Not is a lighthearted and bold film", and he went on to congratulate Ahmed Amer and the film's cast and crew. Similarly, director Amir Ramses wrote on his own page, "Kiss Me Not is a very lighthearted film".

Film Critic Ahmed Shawky wrote on FilFan website, "Kiss Me Not is an adventurous film that Egyptian cinema needs". He also pointed out that the film presents a new step in the process of reconciling audiences with unique cinema, adding, "It's a film that Egyptian cinema needs to succeed and Egyptian audiences need to watch. It may change, even a little, of the accumulated misconceptions about art and life."

Critic Magdy El Tayeb of AlJarida Al Kuwaitiyah, "Amer found the opportunity to make a film that exposes what is going on behind-the-scenes of Egyptian films, ridiculing the extreme mentality that has become prevalent among some of those who work in the industry, and society in general, about art and creativity!" Injy Abou El So'oud, Presenter of the web show Vingette said, "Kiss Me Not is a comedy film that is different from all that Egyptian cinema has offered so far". Elaph's Ahmed Taha wrote that "the film lightly and satirically and with comical exaggeration traces what goes behind-the-scenes of the world of filmmaking."

Following its world premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), Kiss Me Not received rave reviews from the international press, as Mark Adams of Screen Daily wrote, "Kiss Me Not is nicely pacey, which suits its short running time...it delivers plenty of engaging entertainment. From its animated opening credits sequence through to its satisfying ending, Kiss Me Not is a smartly made production."The Hollywood Reporter's Deborah Young writes, "Peculiarly timely in the days when the film industry is questioning the abuse of actresses by powerful men, writer-director Ahmed Amer's Kiss Me Not (Balash Tbousny) flips the coin, as it were, in a satire lampooning the abrupt conversion to religious modesty by certain Egyptian actresses."

She goes on stating, "Perhaps it's part of Amer's game to keep the audience drawing lines and making value judgments about her decision."

The film is currently set for its North American premiere during the 35th Miami Film Festival (9 - 18 March) within the Cinema 360o programme.

Kiss Me Not landed its world premiere at the 14th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) as part of the Arabian Nights programme, in addition to receiving a Special Mention at the 1st Jounieh International Film Festival.

Written by Ahmed Amer, Kiss Me Not follows a young and ambitious Egyptian director who faces issues while shooting a kissing scene in his new film with the leading actress Fajr who decides to pursue a more religious path. Along with Yasmin Raeis, the film co-stars Mohamed Mahran, Salwa Mohamed Ali and Aida Riad with guest stars actress Sawsan Badr, late director Mohamed Khan and director Khairy Beshara. The latter salient film directors appear in the film as themselves. Kiss Me Not is produced by Middlewest Films, WIKA for Film Production and Distribution and MAD Solutions, and distributed by MAD Distribution.

Ahmed Amer started his filmmaking career as an assistant editor in the US working on documentaries and TV content as well as having made a few appearances as an actor in a number of films in New York. Amer also worked as an Arabic script consultant for the film Looking for Oum Kulthum by director Shirin Nashat. His writing credits include the award-winning films Winter of Discontent (2012) by director Ibrahim El Batout, who co-wrote the film with Amer, and Ali, the Goat and Ibrahim (2016) by Sherif El Bendary. Kiss Me Not is his first feature film after many years as a professional screenwriter.

Kiss Me Not is going to be released in Egyptian theaters by MAD Distribution. Please review the screening times with the following movie theaters: Greater Cairo|City Stars Mall, Tiba Mall in Nasr City, Americana Plaza in Sheikh Zayed, Nile City in Corniche El Nile, Galaxy in El Manyal, Family Cinema in Maadi, Galaxy Mall of Arabia, Vox Mallof Egypt, and Dandy Mall in 6th of October, Sun City in Heliopolis, Hilton Ramses, Downtown, Karim and Zawya in Downtown, Point90, CairoFestival, Porto Cairo and MirageMall in New Cairo, Golf City in El Obbour | Governorates | CinePlex Green Plaza, VOX City Center, Metro, and San StefanoMall in Alexandria, Renaissance in Suez, the Cultural Center in Port Said, and El Masreya Plaza in Zagazig.